The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-16
With What Shall We Pave Our
Streets?

Editor Morning NelUs: Tonight our
City Council will meet and probably decide
what material to use in paving some of our
most important thoroughfares. They will
have to decide between the bids received on
Wednesday, which were for stone at prices
ranging from 81 30 to 81 % per square
yard and asphalt at 81 -. 1t is TO be
noticed that the block stone referred to1sto
he laid in a manner long since condemned
in other cities; all durable stone
pavements have to be laid on con-
crete or broken stone foundation;
it is proposed TO lay our stone pavements ef
the natural soil, into which the stone is sure
to sink in in spots and necessitate expensive
annual repairs which before many years
would equal the original cost of the pave
ment. The only bidder that proposes to lay
the pavement on solid concrete founda-
ton is the Asphalt Paving Company; this
company will lay pavements at price only
few cents higher than the lowest bid re-
ceiVed for stone Moreover the company
will give bond to keep the street it paves in
repair-should any repairs be needed-for
term Of five years. The report made by
the City Engineer and Solicitor of Indian
apolis, Ind, who visited several cities to as
certain what was the best paving material
for their streets, gives information of value
to our people in making their selection. The
indianapolis report says:
"In the investigation of this question we
have visited Cincinnati, Buffalo and other
cities Cincinnati has nine streets paved
with asphalt in all about six miles of pave
ment, all giving excellent satisfaction,
traffic thereon from the lightest vehicle to
the largest stone wagons being wholly I'M
restricted, in fact. the asphalt streets are
made to bear far more than their proportion
of travel.
1.-The city of Buffalo has large number
of asphalt-paved streets, making in ali about
forty miles of pavement. There as in Gin
cinnati. there are no restrictions As to the
character of traffic upon the asphalt streets,
and like Cincinnati, these streets are bur-
dened with far more than their proportion
of travel.
'In the city of Buffalo, where asphalt
pavements have been in use for the last ten
years, there have been no repairs to any of
said streets, except where the pavements
have been Intentionally cut fog the laying
of pipes, etc. Franklin street, on which
about half mile of asphalt is laid was put
down in 1878, and, although subject to the
heaviest traffic is to-day in apparently as
good condition as those recently laid. In
fact, we could detect no difference between
the pavements laid five, seven and ten
years ago and those laid this last year.
THE city officers informed us that six
streets, on which Medina stone had been
lald-a1nOunJlng III all 10 more imam oU,OOO
yards of pavement-had, on petition of the
property holders, been replaced with as
phalt, notwithstanding the Medina stone
quarries are distant from Buffalo only about
twenty miles.
From the above, and other facts de-
rived from the experience of other cities,
and from the opinions of officials and citi-
zens thereof, as well as from our own per-
sonal observation, we are of the opinion
that asphalt combines the chief requisites of
good pavement, viz: smoothness, cleanli-
ness, noiselessness and durability From
the nature of its mposition-being imper-
vious to water or chemical matter-it will
not absorb liquid filth, as is the case with
other pavements especially wooden block
pavements, and is, consequently, sanitary
pavement.
"And while it makes a smooth pavement,
yet, owing to the sand i'll its composition, it
never becomes slippery
In view of the above facts, which were
ascertained by impartial and competent
judges, we think there ought not to be any
doubt as to what material should be Sc
| lected for our streets. LIBERTY STREET.